Richard Bertram Schappel, age 93, entered into the Kingdom of Heaven on Tuesday, July 7, 2015.
He was lovingly welcomed by his late wife, Elleen Starr Rhodes Schappel; his parents Bertram E. and Agnes (Koch) Schappel; his brother Robert E. Schappel of Pasco, Washington; and his sister, Marion Schappel of New York.
Mr. Schappel, or “Bert,” as he was called by all those lucky enough to know him, was a giving, self-less and honorable man. He was born March 20, 1922, in Brooklyn, New York. Bert served in World War II with the U.S. Army, after which he worked his way through college at the University of Texas.
He moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where he met and married the love of his life, Elleen Rhodes, and they raised three children. At the University of Tennessee, Bert earned his master’s degree and enjoyed a successful career as a chemical engineer at K-25 and, after retiring, chose to spend his time traveling, volunteering, painting, and learning.
Bert was a longtime member of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, where he cantored and sang in the choir. Bert also had a great love of the outdoors and enjoyed hiking, cycling, and was a member of the Smoky Mountain Wheelman, worked on Rails to Trails, and loved vacationing at the family cabin in North Georgia.
Read the full obituary here.
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